Dave Chappelle Got Very Serious About the State of the Country in His 'SNL' Monologue

Dave Chappelle took the stage on Saturday Night Live to deliver a biting 16-minute monologue about the state of life in America today.

dave chapelle
(Image credit: NBC)
  • On Saturday night, comedian Dave Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live for the show's first episode following the hard-fought 2020 election and news of Joe Biden's victory. 
  • In lieu of a traditional monologue, Chappelle took the stage and delivered a 16-minute standup set that cut to the heart of several important issues facing Americans today.
  • "I would implore everybody who's celebrating to remember, it's good to be a humble winner. Remember when I was here four years ago? Remember how bad that felt? Remember that half the country right now still feels that way. Please remember that," he implored those happy about Biden's victory.

Dave Chappelle opened the first episode of Saturday Night Live following the 2020 election last night with a biting, 16-minute standup set in lieu of a traditional monologue.

Chappelle took to the stage to deliver a no-holds-barred monologue that took aim at the coronavirus, Donald Trump, and the state of life in America today. Here are some highlights:

On Trump's reaction to COVID-19:

"He called the coronavirus the Kung flu. I said, 'You racist, hilarious son of a b**ch!' I'm supposed to say that, not you! It's wrong when you say it.' You know what Trump did after all that stuff? Went out and got the coronavirus. Wasn't that something? You know, when he got coronavirus, they said everything about it on the news. You know what they didn't say? That it was hilarious."

On how Democrats should respond to Joe Biden's victory:

"I would implore everybody who's celebrating to remember, it's good to be a humble winner. Remember when I was here four years ago? Remember how bad that felt? Remember that half the country right now still feels that way. Please remember that. Remember that for the first time in the history of America, the life expectancy of white people is dropping. Because of heroin, because of suicide. All these white people out there that feel that anguish, that pain... Let me tell you something. I know how that feel I promise you, I know how that feels."

On the importance of forgiveness and empathy in America today:

"You're a police officer. Every time you put your uniform on, you feel like you've got a target on you back. You're appalled by the ingratitude that people have when you would risk your life to save them. Oh, man. Believe me. Believe me, I know how that feels. Everyone knows how that feels. But here's the difference between me and you. You guys hate each other for it. And I don't hate anybody. I just hate that feeling. That's what I fight through. That's what I suggest you fight through. You got to find way to live your life. You got to find a way to forgive each other. Got to find a way to find joy in your existence in spite of that feeling."

Watch Chappelle's full SNL monologue below:

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Kayleigh Roberts
Weekend Editor

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.